To pay homage to Black History Month, students at Waipahu High School are hosting the first-ever Black Cultural Festival on Saturday.
The free event aims to promote visibility and honor the Black community's diverse culture in Hawai'i.
Senior Amaya Williams said the event is meant to represent her community.
"This event is good to show that we're here, and we're not just here for protest or benefit, but to show you who we are and what we're all about," she said.
Williams is among many students in Waipahu High's Black Cultural Club, founded by a group of Black students in 2019.
Kevin Sledge, the club's adviser, said he's blessed by the response to the upcoming event.
"It's not just responding to all the struggles and trials that we've had across the African diaspora but to share what is wonderful about being Black, our cultures and experiences," he said.
The festival also provides education and community support from local organizations such as the Hawai'i NAACP, the Popolo Project, the Obama Hawaiian Africana Museum, Black fraternities and sororities, the University of Hawai'i Alice Ball graduate and more.
In addition, the event will feature local food vendors and artists.
Senior Egypt Holland said the public can expect to have a good time. Holland said she hopes the festival will encourage students who are either Black or non-Black to join the Black Cultural Club.
"The club is open to everyone," Holland said. "Whoever wants to join, whoever wants to learn, whoever wants to have fun can join. Our cultures are really fun to dive into."
The Black population makes up 2.2% of Hawai'i, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Sophomore Alaine Edwards said although the Black population at Waipahu High is growing, there are still microaggressive comments she noticed from her peers, including exclusion and "putting people into (social) boxes."
"There's a lot of jokes that are not very funny, and I think that a large part of it is misinformation and ignorance," she said. "People don't know any better, and no one is teaching them any better, so they're going to keep doing until someone tells them that they're wrong."
"You shouldn't be talking to people like that," she added. "You wouldn't like it if someone did that to you about your culture."
Sophomore Jasmine Torrence said the main goal of the club and the festival is to provide activities to engage the public with the community and to educate.
"We don't have to do a full class, which is something that we can engage people on campus with not just students, but staff members, or anybody who feels like they can and wants to learn about different parts of Black culture," Torrence said. "Whether it's in literature, art, science, or whatever field."
The event will be held at Waipahu High School's cafeteria from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
